 (c o n t i n u e d )

人物誌

【水鏡回天錄白話解】  目犍連尊者(續) Reflections in the WateR-MiRRoR: tuRning the tide of destiny Th e Ve n e r a b l e Ma h a M audgalyayana

宣公上人講於一九八六年十月十一日 lectured by the Venerable Master hua on october 11, 1986 比丘尼恆音 英譯

english translated by bhikshuni heng yin

為什麼她沒有東西吃？因為業力的感召， Commentary: 無論什麼食物到她口裡，就會變成火燄來 Why did she have nothing to eat? Due to her karma, no matter what 燒她。目犍連看見母親墮落到餓鬼道，沒 food she put in her mouth, it would turn into flames and burn her. When Maudgalyayana saw his mother suffering in the path of hungry ghosts 有東西吃，便用缽裝滿吃的東西，到地獄 with nothing to eat, he filled a bowl with food and went to the hells to 裡想要給他母親吃，想不到他母親的業力 give it to her to eat. What he had not counted on was that his mother’s 重於他的孝念，她用手抓著食物往口裡 karma was stronger than his filial piety. When his mother grabbed the 吞，就變成火燄。目犍連看自己雖有大神 food with her hand and put it into her mouth to swallow, it turned into 通，也無法救母親，於是哀泣跪求於佛。 flames. Maudgalyayana saw that although he had great spiritual powers, 佛說：你母親所犯的罪業不是你一個人的 he had no way to save his own mother. Thus, he tearfully knelt before 力量可以救得了。因為你母親的罪業深 the Buddha to plead for help. The Buddha said, “Your mother’s offenses 重，必須在七月十五日，設盂蘭盆供上各 are such that you alone do not have enough power to save her. Because her karma is so heavy, on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, 種的飲食、臥具、湯藥供養十方賢聖僧， the Day of the Buddha’s Rejoicing and also the day of the Sangha’s 以十方賢聖僧為她迴向的力量，便可以超 Pravarana, you must set up Ullambana basins with all kinds of food, 度你母親升天。 drink, bedding, and medicines to offer to the holy Sangha of the ten 從四月十五日至七月十五日之間，修 directions. Relying on the strength of the transference of merit made 道人不到各處去，這叫結夏安居。結夏就 by the holy Sangha of the ten directions on behalf of your mother, she 是停止一切的活動，安居就是安然居住， will be liberated and reborn in the heavens. 不到外邊去化緣，固定在一個地方居住， From the fifteenth of the fourth lunar month to the fifteenth of the 當然在道場裡仍然會繼續講經說法。出家 seventh lunar month, cultivators refrain from traveling. This is called the summer retreat. During the summer retreat, all activities are stopped and 人結一個夏才算增加一歲，沒有結夏安居 cultivators dwell peacefully in one place. They do not go out on alms 就沒有多活一歲，這又叫僧臘。佛告訴目 rounds, but just stay in a fixed place. Of course in the monastery, they 犍連若要救母親，必須在七月十五日－－ continue to lecture sutras and speak the Dharma. It is only after doing 佛歡喜日，（佛於這一天生歡喜），僧自 a summer retreat that a monastic gains one year in the Sangha. If one 咨時，（僧人這個時候互相訴說自己在這 does not do the summer retreat, one does not gain a year. This is one’s 三個月期間有什麼境界及經驗，互相檢討 age in the Sangha. The Buddha told Maudgalyayana that if he wanted to 一下，僧人都很開放，無拘無束的談話討 rescue his mother, he had to do the Ullambana offering on the fifteenth 論問題，所以這叫自咨），目犍連尊者依 day of the seventh month, which is the day when the Buddha rejoices, and also the day when Sangha members mutually share and discuss their 教奉行，按著這種方法設盂蘭盆供，並仗

金剛菩提海 二○○五年十月 16 Bi o g r a p h i e s

此功德救母出離地獄。 experiences during the past three months, and evaluate their own practice. 目犍連尊者降伏毒龍，這個毒 Sangha members very openly and freely discuss these issues. Maudgalyayana 龍障礙佛說《地藏經》，因為佛要到 did as the Buddha instructed and established the Ullambana offerings, the

忉利天為他母親說法，這個毒龍在須 merit and virtue of which enabled his mother to leave the hells. Maudgalyayana subdued a venomous dragon which tried to prevent the 彌山中間噴毒沙擋佛，目犍連和毒龍 Buddha from speaking the Earth Store Sutra. The Buddha wanted to go to 鬥法，結果牠被降伏，也皈依佛了。 the Trayastrimsha Heaven to speak the Dharma for his mother, but halfway 目犍連 和舍利弗兩位尊者知道佛快 up Mount Sumeru, this venomous dragon spit poisonous sand to block the 要入涅槃，就先走一步，不願意自己 Buddha. Maudgalyayana engaged in a Dharma battle with the venomous 親眼見到佛入涅槃的境界，所以他們 dragon, and in the end the dragon was subdued and took refuge with the 兩位先佛而入滅。在佛未入滅以前， Buddha. When Venerable Maudgalyayana and Venerable Shariputra found 他們就先跑了。這是簡略的介紹目犍 out that the Buddha was about to enter Nirvana, they entered Nirvana before the Buddha did, because they could not bear to witness the Buddha entering 連，若是詳細的說他的神通妙用，有 Nirvana. Before the Buddha entered Nirvana, they departed first. This is a brief 說不完那麼多，因為現在文字、時間 introduction to Maudgalyayana. If I were to explain the wonderful functions 有限，所以簡單地說。 of his spiritual powers in detail, I would not be able to finish. Since language and time are both limited, I will just give this simple explanation. 贊曰 事母至孝 皈佛純真 A verse in praise says: 降伏毒龍 搶救釋親 With utmost filiality, he served his mother. 神通變化 般若甚深 With true sincerity, he took refuge with the Buddha. 盂蘭法會 請求世尊 He overcame a venemous dragon And tried to save the Shakyan people.

Profound were his spiritual transformations, 「事母至孝」：他侍奉母親非 Exceptionally profound, his prajna wisdom. 常孝順。至孝就是再沒有比他更孝 The Ullambana Dharma assembly began 順的，所以他一得到神通，就想要救 Upon his request for the World Honored One’s help. 他母親。「皈佛純真」：他皈依佛之 後，很真心純意，一點也沒有三心兩 Commentary: 意，他專一其心學佛法。 With utmost filiality, he served his mother. He was extremely filial to his mother, to the point that there could be no one more filial than him. That’s 「降伏毒龍 」：他又能把毒龍 why, as soon as he attained spiritual powers, he wanted to rescue his mother. 降伏住。他搶救琉璃大王滅釋種。琉 With true sincerity, he took refuge with the Buddha. After he took refuge 璃大王和釋種有互相殘殺的血戰，所 with the Buddha, he very sincerely and wholeheartedly, without any doubt 以要血債血還。「搶救釋親」：在往 or hesitation, took up the study of the Buddhadharma with single-minded 昔琉璃大王是在水池裡的一條魚王， concentration. 率領魚鱉蝦蟹之類的眷屬在河裡生 He overcame a venemous dragon / And tried to save the Shakyan 存。住在河邊的村人都歡喜吃魚，所 people. He tried to save the Shakyan clanspeople when King Crystal was 以把魚的種類都吃完了，最後把魚王 seeking to annihilate them. King Crystal and the Shakyan clan had been en- gaged in a blood feud, and debts of blood had to be repaid with blood. In 也捕來吃，這是在很久很久以前的事 a past life, King Crystal had been a king of fish in a pond, and his subjects 情，當時釋迦牟尼佛也在那兒玩，看 were fish, turtles, shrimp, crabs. He and his retinue of fish lived in the river. 到這麼大一條魚，就用一根棍子，在 The people in the village next to the river loved to eat fish, so they ate all the 魚的頭上打了三下。釋迦牟尼佛在因 fish in the river, and finally they even caught the fish king. This happened a 地打過這條魚，這條魚王就生出憎恨 long, long time ago, and at that time Shakyamuni Buddha was also there play-

Oc t o b e r 2005 Va j r a Bo d h i Se a 17 人物誌

心，將來要報仇，因此釋迦牟尼佛成佛之 ing. When he saw that huge fish, he took a stick and hit the fish on the 後，頭痛了三天也就因為打魚三棍子，所 head three times. The Buddha hit this fish in the formative stages of 以才有金槍馬麥之報，因為這個因緣，琉 his cultivation, and this king of fish gave rise to hatred and vowed to seek revenge. Therefore, after Shakyamuni Buddha became a Buddha, 璃大王－－魚王，帶著他的眷屬，把從前 he suffered a three-day headache because he had hit the fish three times. 吃牠這些人的種族都要殺光。 The Buddha also had to undergo the retributions of being injured by a 目犍連當時請求佛救釋族，我相信釋 spear and being fed horsefeed. Due to these past circumstances, King 迦牟尼佛當時不會違背因果來救釋種，所 Crystal, the former fish king, led his followers to annihilate the clan of 以目犍連用他的缽盛釋族五百人送到天上 people that had eaten him in the past. 去避難，等災難過去再把他們請回來，這 At that time, Maudgalyayana begged the Buddha to save the Shakyan 種思想是有道理的，但是他還不明白前因 clan. I believe Shakyamuni Buddha could not go against the workings 後果。如果當時釋迦牟尼佛和他說明：這 of cause and effect to save the Shakyans. Maudgalyayana placed 500 Shakyans in his almsbowl and sent them to the heavens to escape harm. 是因果，我不能救。我相信目犍連尊者也 After the calamity was over, he brought them back. Although his idea 不會救的，為什麼呢？如果他再救，一、 seemed good, he didn’t understand the law of cause and effect. If 他不聽佛說的法。二、他不信因果。所以 Shakyamuni Buddha had explained to him at the time and said, “This 我認為當時佛是默然，他就誤會以為佛不 is cause and effect. I cannot save them,” I believe that Maudgalyayana 自私，不救自己的種族，而等弟子來救， would not have tried to save them, either. Why not? Because if he did 所以他很奮勇的把釋種送到天上，想不到 try, first, he would not be listening to the Buddha’s Dharma, and second, 在天上也一樣化為一盆血水，也沒有救 he would not believe cause and effect. Therefore, I think that at the time 成，這是定業不可轉，這是眾生的一種業 the Buddha kept silent, and Maudgalyayana mistakenly thought that the Buddha was being unselfish in not saving his own clan and that it was 力，就是阿羅漢也不可不講因果。 up to his disciple to save them. That’s why Maudgalyayana bravely sent 「神通變化」：他的神通變化是不可 the Shakyans to the heavens. He never expected that in the heavens, 思議的，一般人是不能完全懂。「般若 they would still turn into a pool of blood and could not be saved. This 甚深」：他的智慧也是很高的。「 盂蘭 shows that fixed karma cannot be changed. This is the power of living 法會」：盂蘭是梵語，翻譯成中文叫解倒 beings’ karma, and even Arhats cannot ignore cause and effect. 懸，就是人犯罪犯得太大了，就把他倒著 Profound were his spiritual transformations. The transforma- 吊起來，是很難受的刑法。因為尊者母親 tions of his spiritual powers were inconceivable; ordinary people could not entirely fathom them. prajna 受苦，所以他「 請求世尊」，佛為他說盂 Exceptionally profound, his wisdom was very lofty. The Ullambana Dharma assembly began / Upon his 蘭法會能解救他母親倒懸的罪業。「 請求 request for the World Honored One’s help. Ullambana is Sanskrit 世尊」：請求釋迦牟尼佛。 and is translated as “rescuing those hanging upside-down.” That is, when people’s offenses are too great, they are as if hung upside-down. 又說偈曰 This is a very uncomfortable punishment. Since the Venerable One’s 至孝救母目連僧 眾生離苦願始伸 mother was suffering, he asked the World Honored One, Shakyamuni 盛會解除倒懸業 法筵供養聖賢尊 Buddha, for help, and the Buddha told him that an Ullambana Dharma 一切有情皆得度 恆沙餓鬼出獄門 assembly could rescue his mother from the karmic offenses that made 神通第一阿羅漢 緬甸靈跡留古今 her be as if hanging upside-down.

Another verse says: 「至孝救母目連僧」：他是一個很孝 The most filial monk, Maudgalyayana, sought to save his moth- 順的出家人。「眾生離苦願始伸」：等到 er. 眾生都離苦得樂了，他的願力才算伸展， When all beings leave suffering, his vow will then be fulfilled.

金剛菩提海 二○○五年十月 18 Bi o g r a p h i e s

滿他的願。「盛會解除倒懸業」：盂蘭 The splendid assembly dispels the karma of hanging upside- 法會是一個盛會，能解除眾生倒懸的罪 down. 業。「法筵供養聖賢尊」：設盂蘭盆供 A Dharma banquet is offered to the venerable sages and worthy ones. 養十方的聖賢尊。 All sentient beings gain liberation, and hungry ghosts, many as 「一切有情皆得度」：所有的眾 Ganges’ sands, exit the hells. 生都因為這個法會而得到度脫。「恆沙 He was the Arhat with the foremost spiritual powers. 餓鬼出獄門 」：恆河沙數那麼多的餓 The miracles in Burma are remembered through the ages. 鬼，都離開地獄門，離苦得樂升天去 了。「神通第一阿羅漢」：在小乘裡他 Commentary: 是神通第一，他和菩薩當然不能相比。 The most filial monk, Maudgalyayana, sought to save his mother. He was a very filial monastic. 阿羅漢也是梵語，翻譯成中文叫應供、 When all beings leave suffering, his vow will then be fulfilled. His vow will only be realized when all beings have 殺賊、無生。因為多含不翻，三個意 found happiness. The splendid assembly dispels the karma of hang- 思，所以保留阿羅漢原名。應供，應受 ing upside-down. The splendid Ullambana Dharma assembly can liberate 人天的供養。殺賊，殺眾生的無明煩惱 beings from the karmic offenses that cause them to be as if suspended 賊。無生，他已經悟得無生法忍，不生 upside-down. A Dharma banquet, the Ullambana, is offered to the 不滅，不垢不淨，不增不減的境界，所 venerable sages and worthy ones of the ten directions. 以叫阿羅漢。 By virtue of this Dharma assembly, all sentient beings gain libera- 「緬甸靈跡留古今」：摩訶目犍 tion, and hungry ghosts, many as Ganges’ sands, exit the hells and are reborn in the heavens. 連尊者曾經在緬甸顯過神通。在緬甸有 He was the Arhat with the foremost spiritual powers. Although he is foremost in spiritual powers in the Lesser Vehicle, 個地方有兩塊石頭，底下有塊大約幾噸 he cannot compare to Bodhisattvas. “Arhat” is Sanskrit and translates as 重的大石頭，上面又有一塊像桃子或葫 “worthy of offerings,” “slayer of thieves,” and “unborn.” Since it has three 蘆的石頭，這有什麼出奇？怎麼叫顯神 meanings, it is kept in Sanskrit and not translated. “Worthy of offerings” 通呢？雖然底下這石頭那麼重，可是兩 means he is deserving of offerings from humans and gods. “Slayer of 人可在石頭底下用細繩往兩邊拉，一拉 thieves” means he slays living beings’ thieves of ignorance and afflictions. 可從左邊拉到右邊，從右邊又可拉到左 He is “unborn” because he has already awakened to and attained patience 邊，這證明這石頭還在虛空裡懸著，這 with the nonarising of dharmas or phenomena, wherein he sees that phenomena neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor pure, neither 叫目連尊者顯神通，所以緬甸信佛的人 increase nor decrease. Thus he is known as an Arhat. 很多，這和目犍連都有關係。因此在緬 The miracles in Burma are remembered through the ages. Ven- 甸造了一個大金塔，一般佛教徒都不遠 erable Maudgalyayana displayed his spiritual powers in Burma. In Burma 千里去朝拜大金塔，這些事情說來都很 there’s a place with two stones--an enormous stone that probably weighs 不可思議。 several tons, on which sits a small stone shaped like peach or a gourd. What’s so special about that? How is this a manifestation of spiritual powers? Although the bottom stone is very heavy, two people standing on either side on the stone could use string to pull the stone from left to right, and from right to left, showing that the stone is suspended in mid-air. This is a manifestation of the Venerable Maudgalyayana’s spiritual powers. The fact that there are so many Buddhists in Burma has to do with Maudgalyayana. A golden pagoda was built in Burma because of this, and Buddhists travel thousands of miles to make a pilgrimage to this pagoda. When we spe- ak of it, this sounds pretty inconceivable

Oc t O b e r 2005 Va j r a bO d h i Se a 19